VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- while playing a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen,controlling movements of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game;
in response to satisfaction of one or more conditions, protecting the one player'"'"'s game character from harm in the game world;
controlling movements of the protected game character in the game world;
stopping the protecting of the one player'"'"'s game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player'"'"'s game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character; and
if all game characters are protected, causing current playing of the multi-player video game to end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Example systems and methods relate to a video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world. Movements and actions of each game character are controlled in accordance with a first game character control operation during the playing of the video game. If one or more conditions is satisfied by one of the players, the one player'"'"'s game character is protected from harm in the game world. Movements and actions of the protected game character are controlled in accordance with a second game character control operation. The protecting of the one player'"'"'s game character is stopped in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the game character is again controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation. If all game characters are protected, current playing of the video game ends.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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while playing a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, controlling movements of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; in response to satisfaction of one or more conditions, protecting the one player'"'"'s game character from harm in the game world; controlling movements of the protected game character in the game world; stopping the protecting of the one player'"'"'s game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player'"'"'s game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character; and if all game characters are protected, causing current playing of the multi-player video game to end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A video game system comprising:
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input devices; and a processing system that executes a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, the video game program being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions for; controlling movements and actions of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; in response to satisfaction of one or more conditions, protecting the one player'"'"'s game character from harm in the game world; controlling movements and action of the protected game character in the game world in accordance with a second game character control operation which is different than the first game character control operation for that game character; stopping the protecting of the one player'"'"'s game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements and actions of the one player'"'"'s game character in the game world are again controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that character; and if all game characters are protected, causing current playing of the multi-player video game to end. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having encoded therein program instructions for a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, the instructions comprising instructions for:
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controlling movements and actions of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; in response to satisfaction of one or more conditions, protecting the one player'"'"'s game character from harm in the game world; controlling movements and actions of the protected game character in the game world in accordance with a second game character control operation which is different than the first game character control operation for that game character; stopping the protecting of the one player'"'"'s game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements and actions of the one player'"'"'s game character in the game world are again controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that character; and if all game characters are protected, causing current playing of the multi-player video game to end. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A video game apparatus for a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, the video game apparatus comprising:
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a first game character control unit for controlling movements and actions of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; a game character protecting unit for protecting one player'"'"'s game character from harm in the game world in response to satisfaction of one or more conditions; a second game character control unit for controlling movements and actions of the protected game character in the game world in accordance with a second game character control operation which is different than the first game character control operation for that game character; a protecting stopping unit for stopping the protecting of the one player'"'"'s game character in response to one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements and actions of the one player'"'"'s game character in the game world are again controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character; and a current game play ending unit for ending current playing of the multi-player video game if all game characters are protected. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification